News

!"#$% '$()*+$%,
18, reLall asslsLanL,
of 8lccarLon:
llndlng a new
house and gemng
a new [ob were
hlghllghLs for
me. lL has been a
preuy good week."
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Wed love to hear what your high-
light of the week was or whats
your favourite meal is. Send your
comments to
editor@christchurchstar.co.nz
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reLall asslsLanL, of
8lccarLon: My favou-
rlLe ls a klwl roasL, so
chlcken wlLh all Lhe
Lrlmmlngs. l make lL
every Sunday."
1PA1'S Cuu
A PUPPY saved the lives of a
Michigan family which had
adopted him just two weeks ear-
lier when his barking woke them
during a gas leak.
Te McLarty family had inad-
vertently lef the gas hob on in
their kitchen when they went to
bed and, afer the ame died out,
gas began to leak throughout
their house.
As the noxious gas spread,
three-month-old husky mix
Hunter began to wail and bark.
Jill McLarty opened the back
door because she thought the
puppy wanted to go out, but
then he re-entered the house and
continued to whine.
He was in the hallway almost
doing circles and then he sat next
to the stove and started crying,
said Tim McLarty.
Te family had adopted Hunt-
er just two weeks before from an
animal rescue centre.
Mr McLarty admitted that they
nearly adopted Hunters sibling,
but the puppy won them over.
Tat is certainly a decision the
McLartys are now grateful for.
BASKETBALL WAS was the sport
played most at Canterbury second-
ary school in 2013, data collected by
the New Zealand Secondary School
Sports Council shows.
A total of 3074 students had
meaningful engagement in the
sport last year, which means they
represented their school, played for
a club as arranged by their school,
or played in an intra-school com-
petition that lasted for six weeks or
longer.
Canterbury Basketball Associa-
tion general manager Megan Harlick
said basketballs ability to cater to
both boys and girls of all skill levels
was a large reason for its popularity.
Unlike a number of sports which
are truly position-specic, the abil-
ity for all players to take part in all
aspects of the game is key, she said,
Its a popular sport worldwide and
we get such great coverage of the
(American) NBA and (Australian)
NBL, so its seen as a viable sport
here in New Zealand.
While the usual suspects football,
rugby and netball were popular, less
well-known sports such as volleyball
and badminton gave a strong show-
ing.
Volleyball was the fourth most
popular sport among all students,
with 2261 taking part, while bad-
minton was the 11th, with 876 par-
ticipants.
Neither is a big sport outside of
high school, said regional sports di-
rector Bill Grogan, but the two have
qualities which help explain their
popularity with students.
He said the social aspect of vol-
leyball, as a team game, as well as
the absence of contact and conict,
helped to make it attractive to stu-
dents.
Its not reliant on the skill of one
person, so its not one of those sports
where you dont take part if you
arent good enough.
Likewise, he said, badminton ca-
ters for players from a premiership
level down to a very, very social lev-
el, and students need no equipment
other than a racket.
Te census shows that 15,450 or
53 per cent of Canterbury students
were involved in at least one sport.
Fify six per cent of boys and 50 per
cent of girls played sport. All the
gures are in line with the national
averages.
Rugby union was the most popu-
lar sport for boys, with 2574 players,
while netball had the most girls take
part with 2358.
Football had 1754 players and
rugby league had 138.
Mr Grogan said that while they
would always like to see more stu-
dents taking part in sport, recent
growth had been pleasing.
Student numbers grew by three
per cent last year, and we are hoping
for another two per cent this year,
he said.
Mr Grogan said the availability of
coaches and managers was a signif-
icant barrier to overcome in terms
of being able to provide sporting op-
portunities to students.
Last year, 1247 or 29 per cent of
sta were involved in sport, either by
coaching, managing or ociating, in
line with national averages.
St Margarets College director of
sport Helen Bryant said that sport
was very popular at their school,
leaving them needing to recruit as
many coaches and managers as pos-
sible.
Mr Grogan said Christchurch
schools unique approach of closing
at 2.30pm on Wednesdays, com-
bined with the citys small size, made
participating in sport an attractive
proposition.
We are very fortunate that we can
oer a wide range of sports and that
we have a good number of schools in
close distance, he said.
Te census reveals that Canter-
bury students are trying their hand
at some less familiar pursuits.
Dragon boating, which involves
crews of 20 paddling in time with
the beat of an on-board drum, was
taken up by 427 students last year.
Tere are four local regattas on oer,
and schools can choose to take part
in national competitions as well.
St. Margarets College team man-
ager Sue Harlow said the sport is
open to their year 13 girls only, mak-
ing it something they can enjoy dur-
ing their last year of high school.
Its a very fun sport, which makes
for really good team building. You
dont have to be an exceptional
sportswoman to be able to partici-
pate, she said.
Te secondary school sports year
revolves around two tournament
weeks, one at the end of term one,
for summer sports, and one at the
end of term three, for winter sports,
where thousands of students travel
around the country to compete
against each other for national titles.
Next week, students from Canter-
bury schools will travel to Auckland
for tennis, Invercargill for water
polo, Gisborne for triathlons, and
Palmerston North for volleyball,
while sofball will be contested here
in Christchurch.
Te complete census can be found
online at http://goo.gl/byNDGx
Canterbury Rams new signing
page 28
045678 9:76;04 looks
aL whaL sporLs are played
mosL ln CanLerbury second-
ary schools
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<= >'7 4?;<761
8askeLball: 3074
8ugby unlon: 2893
neLball: 2390
volleyball: 2261
1ouch: 1870
looLball: 1734
ALhleucs: 1238
Pockey: 1228
CrlckeL: 1119
1ennls: 891
@:@?-06A volleyball ls one of Lhe mosL popular sporLs played by secondary school sLudenLs ln CanLerbury.
Above, Llncoln Plgh School meeLs SL MargareL's College, lasL week.
PC1C: CLCll SLCAn
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